Every year for the past several years I’ve identified a word for the year. I used to only choose a word for our church. Now I choose a word for our church and a word for our family. In the past the word has often been based on a concept or an idea that I couldn’t get off my mind. It usually spawned from lessons The Lord was teaching me the final couple months of the previous year. I’ve always want this word to provide us with a unified sense of purpose and direction for the coming year - in one case for our volunteers and staff, and in the other for my family.

I decided to write Part 2 and Part 3 as if I were sitting down with Weston when he's 22 years old, dating a girl, and getting ready to pop the question. These are the questions I’d ask him:

“I’m so proud of you.” These are five words that would completely change my day when Amanda would say them to me . . . Gosh, it would change my week! I am a words of affirmation kind of person, which means I feel most loved when someone affirms me. For that reason I’m extra sensitive to both helpful words directed at me and harmful words.